 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MSK
Date: 2013-05-26 22:25
I'm going to break down and get my son's hand-me-down plastic Artley repadded. Many of the pads date to my own high school days. The clarinet will used for marching in parades for two years and for regular marching band for four more years. He will also be using it indoors for about a year for school concert band. (I plan to give him my back up wood clarinet in about a year if he proves himself responsible).
Is there any benefit to upgrading pads for this cheapo marching clarinet? If so what should we get? We live in the coastal mid-Atlantic US. It will be warm and humid in early Fall, but cold by the end of marching season.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-05-26 22:43
Use the best quality synthetic pads as they won't be harmed by bad weather and moisture.
I'm hoping someone will list the various options and their preferences as I don't use synthetic pads myself as I prefer to use cork and leather pads.
Also have high density rubberised cork used for the key corks and synthetic felt on open standing keys as again these will withstand bad weather conditions better than natural felt and cork, but definitely have natural cork for the tenons and make sure they're kept greased.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-05-26 22:47
Like you and me, your son will knock the clarinet around -- accidentally (or "accidentally") drop it on the floor, bang it against a music stand, brandish it like a sword and pretend it's a blunderbuss. Kids (or at least boys) have that hard-wired into them.
Standard bladder pads will be fine. There's no need for corks, kangaroo leather or other fancy stuff. All that counts is that it covers. Also, even the least experienced tech can re-seat or replace a bladder pad, and the instrument is sure to need that from time to time.
Ken Shaw
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Author: AAAClarinet
Date: 2013-05-27 03:02
ken shaw wrote:
"Standard bladder pads will be fine. There's no need for corks, kangaroo leather or other fancy stuff. "
ken will you please clarify, do you think " fancy" pads are not needed in this case or in general.
thank you
AAAClarinet
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-05-27 03:46
AAA -
MSK spoke of plans to have the Artley repadded and asked about any benefit from "upgrading" pads. I assumed this referred to more expensive padding materials. If the question was about whether to have the clarinet repadded at all, then I misunderstood. By fancy pads, I meant cork, kangaroo leather, Straubinger and other materials that more expensive to buy and fussier (and therefore more expensive) to install.
If the pads on MSK's Artley seal well, then there's no need to replace them, although the instrument should certainly get a checkover. On the other hand, the pads on a clarinet that's been in a closet since MSK's student days will probably have dried-out felt and deteriorated goldbeater's skin coverings. It would not be unusual to need a whole set of new pads, but only the repair shop can tell, by checking for leaks.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2013-05-27 04:16
I disagree with bladder pads if there's any chance your son might be out in the rain. Get the pads really wet once and they're done. I'd get Valentino greenbacks. They seal well, are waterproof and last pretty much forever. And they shouldn't cost too much more than bladder pads.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2013-05-27 07:00
Traditional skin pads can take an astonishing amount of "abuse" in the form of rain or sleet or snow or whatever this year's spring is having on the menu. Just be sure you properly dry the instrument after such a torture. Not only the pads but also the mechanical parts will thank you.
Plastic instruments tend to dampen "pad noise" less than wooden ones, so I'd be careful with cork or Valentino Masters pads as the "key slapping" noise can be very distracting.
--
Ben
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-05-27 11:26
Jack -
When I was in the West Point Band, all clarinetists were issued plastic Bundys with bladder pads, which we used for outdoor work. We played them in snow, sleet, torrential downpours and subfreezing temperatures. When we came back from such a gig, we dropped our Bundys off with the two full-time repair guys, who blew compressed air through them to get rid of any water and lightly oiled the action. We got them back within a couple of hours. There was never any trouble with the pads.
This was in the late 60s, before Valentino pads became available. Maybe one of the WPB members can tell us what's done now.
MSK should make sure her son swabs out the Artley after playing it, indoors or out. If it's been rained on, he should swab it and then prop up the joints cross-ways over the open case to let everything dry overnight. And it wouldn't hurt to dip the tip of a sharp object, such as a miniature rat-tail file, into key oil. Let a small drop collect on the tip and touch it to each key where it rotates. The oil will get sucked in by capillary action, and one drop is all that's needed.
Use a good key oil, such as the ones made by The Doctor http://doctorsprod.com/cbuy/. François Kloc of Buffet uses axle grease. He says that in small amounts, it doesn't interfere with the action and lasts a long time. The Doctor's Syntek or even Type 1 or Type 2 grease, should work well, particularly on an instrument that may get rained on.
Ken Shaw
Post Edited (2013-05-27 11:48)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-05-27 11:33
Axle grease is best used on keys mounted between point screws rather than being used on keys mounted on rods where good quality oil should be used.
I've got a B&H 1010 in right now which someone has used thick grease everywhere (all the keys are mounted on rods) and the action is very sluggish as the grease has thickened over time.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-05-27 12:47
The West Point story is very informative. Even though excessive moisture on pads shouldn't really matter much, there was a tech making sure everything was dried out properly that day.
I have my own issues with the standard Valentino pads (the "Masters" are a different story....and price point) but they DO last and last and are completely impervious to any affects of moisture AND they'll seal under conditions a regular pad can't match (due to the very forgiving foaminess).
So if you have the choice, the regular (Green Back) Valentinos shouldn't really cost more than regular pads (and are easier to install) and there will be no question about their ability to last through rough weather and use.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-05-27 12:54
Replace any pads that aren't sealing or look like they won't last long with Valentino Greenbacks. Except for the bottom 2 open pads - if available, I would use Ominpads or Valentino Masters there.
Steve Ocone
Post Edited (2013-05-27 12:55)
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Author: MSK
Date: 2013-05-27 16:46
Thanks to all for suggestions.
For clarification: the clarinet is in need of an overhaul -- my question is whether to get something other than basic bladder pads since I'm already paying the labor. I do want it to sound as decent as is reasonable for concert band for the upcoming year also. If it was only for marching, I'd probably skip the overhaul. No-one really hears clarinets in the marching band anyways.
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